BUStin’ Out New Displays

Wellington’s public transport system is catching up with the rest of the world with the introduction of Real Time Information.

Real Time Information tells you when your bus or train will arrive, as opposed to when it’s scheduled to arrive, by using Global Positioning Systems (GPS) vehicle tracking.

Passengers can check the position of their bus or train on digital screens which will gradually be installed at main bus and train stops. It will also be available on the Metlink website.

The digital screens are currently running at the Wellington Station interchange. The next nine months will see about 200 screens installed at key bus stops, and 45 out of 50 train stations will have them on the platform.

Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Fran Wilde believes the Real Time system will have great benefits for passengers.

“It means that on a wet Wellington winter day we can check online when our bus will arrive and hole up in our offices then dash out to the bus stop just in time.”

She hopes it will help the public transport system run more smoothly and allow it to be improved.

“This technology will vastly improve people’s perceptions of bus and train reliability and will help us and the operators identify and hopefully fix problem areas more speedily.”

Frequent users of public transport are welcoming the change. “I am so glad they are doing it,” says a student. “Christchurch has had it for ages.”

“It’s fantastic they are doing this but it still doesn’t change the fact that the buses are always late,” says another.

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